Will It Be Neymar’s World Cup?

Will this be Neymar’s World Cup? No other player in the 2014 World Cup will be under as much scrutiny as the 22-year-old Brazilian forward. He shoulders the colossal expectations of the host nation. With a collective memory of five World Cup titles for Brazil, anything less than victory will be considered failure.

If Neymar is feeling the pressure, he hasn’t shown it in the run-up to the Finals. Note his 30 goals in 47 matches for the national team. He has proven excellence in international competitions winning the Golden Ball award as MVP in the 2013 Confederations Cup.

His remarkable dribbling skills break down defenses and his speed burns defensive units that play a high line. Can we find his weakness? Mark his disdain for tackling or tracking back to help out the midfield. His effectiveness in the air is limited by his height. Perhaps a few extra pounds would help. Weighing in around 140 pounds helps physical defenses stymie him. And there is the diving. Neymar’s reputation for fakery may make a World Cup referee think twice about blowing the whistle in a big match.

He has had a difficult time finding his role at Barcelona, on a team that already features Lionel Messi, and he has even heard some boos from the home fans at the Camp Nou. To compound his problems, Neymar suffered an ankle injury that sidelined him for a month at the beginning of the year, and he has been slow to regain his goal-scoring form.

Another issue that could negatively impact Neymar’s state of mind going in to the World Cup is the ongoing scandal over his transfer to Barcelona from his old club, Santos. An investigation uncovered that the club had made unreported payments to various parties on top of the announced transfer fee, including payments to Neymar’s father. Barcelona unilaterally agreed to pay additional taxes to the Spanish government, but the scandal resulted in the resignation of Barca’s club president, and continues to roil both Neymar and the club.

So which Neymar will show up in Brazil? While he will be under extreme pressure to carry his nation, the prediction here is that he will benefit from playing on home soil, far away from his troubles in Barcelona, and that the world will witness the birth of a new Brazilian soccer legend.